Kromagg Deception
by Majestic-MSFC
Summary: After finding himself to be at the butt end of a Kromagg trick, Quinn resumes his search for Wade and home now that it’s only him and Rembrandt left.


Title: **The Kromagg Deception**

Main Title Description: After finding himself to be at the butt end of a Kromagg trick, Quinn resumes his search for Wade and home now that it's only him and Rembrandt left.

Disclaimer: This below story is intended for entertainment purpose only. Some characters, elements of the story and the Sliders rights belong to St Claire Entertainment/Sci-Fi Channel and are used without authorization. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit or money is made from this story. This story may not be re-hosted on any site other without the direct permission from the author.

If you wish to read more of my stories or want to view the cover titles I have made for these stories or are just interested in Science Fiction and Sliders please visit my site. The link is in my profile.

Author's Foreword: Okay, I tried my hand at another alternative season 5 while keeping what happened in season 4 intact. I also got rid of the characters I didn't want and introduced (or re-introduced) the characters I wanted. I also decided to use the original idea some in the season 4 production staff originally had plan but abandon to put a nice little twist on season 4.

Now I haven't seen much of season four so bare with me here as something's may be a little out. There is also a spoiler for Dying Fields and Genesis so if you haven't seen them yet and don't want the episodes ruined then I suggest coming back after seeing them.

This is designed only as a small serial of 4 or 5 episodes, this one being the first. I have almost completed the next two in the series as well so you may see them soon.

Anyway here it is and I hope to get a couple of reviews. :)

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Out of nowhere a roaring gush of wind started, the once peaceful park erupted into chaos as a blue swirling vortex appeared ripping through the fabric of space growing bigger and bigger swirling in mid air until a thunderous clapping sound was heard and the vortex flashed.

Emerging from the vortex, an African-American male in his late 30's flew out and landed in a pile of leaves. "I don't believe it." Rembrandt Brown said amazed at the rather painless landing. "A soft landing at last!" He looked up to see the vortex flash again making the familiar sound and out came a young Caucasian man with sandy brown hair who landed in a rather undignified manner, with his face in the dirt.

The vortex remained swirling for a few more moments until it automatically closed making a popping sound signifying it was shut.

Rembrandt Brown got up and walked over to help his friend to his feet. "Tough landing ay Q-Ball?" He commented grinning at his friend's rather abrupt and painful landing.

Quinn nodded and took the timer out of his pocket looking at the readout on its display. Looking back up to his friend he announced what Rembrandt was waiting for. "We've got 7 hours here." He explained then after taking a quick glance around at the local area returned his attention to his friend. "I suggest you get some rest while I make the final adjustments to this thing."

Rembrandt Brown, while no psychiatrist knew the last two years had taken its toll on the 25 year old especially the last few months. Quinn Mallory had been through more emotional turmoil than people three times his age, ever since the Professor's death and more so since Wade's abduction he had been emotionally distant and lucky for the both of them Rembrandt found that out of their group for the last year he was the only one who got anywhere near the truth.

Noticing a bench and the rather peaceful Earth they landed on, Rembrandt decided to take the bull by the horns and try once again to get to the bottom of this and hopefully mend some fences. "Q-Ball, there is a bench over there, mind if we sit down?" He asked and getting the rather odd look from the young man made up his excuse. "Hey the Cryin man is getting old."

Quinn smiled something he didn't too all too often. "Sure thing Rem, I keep forgetting I'm 10 years younger than you."

As the duo sat down Rembrandt went into stage two of his plan. "How you doing Q-ball?" He asked the rather simple and common question.

"Fine I guess." Quinn replied which was far from the truth. He felt terrible his whole life had been thrown upside down and inside out over the last year.

Rembrandt patted his friend on the back. "Level with me Q-ball." The washed up old R&B singer responded. "You've had it hard, first with the Kromagg trick, then that tracker and finally Maggie leaving… Now if that's what you call fine I will hate to see it when you're under the weather."

Quinn knew his friend was right, he was pulling himself through life, well more like dragging really. Things while not perfect were going so well until they lost the Professor but even then it wasn't that bad until they got home, or what they thought was home.

He looked up to this friend and unloaded. "I'm just so tired, so sick of life and if you and Wade weren't depending on me I would just call it quits." He admitted.

Rembrandt was taken back. He knew the young man wasn't doing great, neither was he for that matter. 24 months ago he was a sliding singer and now he was a man simply out to find a friend and hurt the beings who were responsible as much as he could. "I know it hasn't been easy, but she's counting on us we're all she has, the only hope she has to see freedom again."

Quinn nodded, that was one of only two reasons he was going on and Rembrandt knew it. "I know. I also know it hasn't been a walk in the park for you either and what Wade is going through I don't even want to imagine."

Rembrandt was in the same mind, he too found it hard to think about what Wade Welles, a girl who was like a little sister to him was going through at this very moment. Being taken to a Kromagg breeding camp was worst than death. "Yeah it hasn't, but you've had your whole world turned inside out twice now." Rembrandt responded.

It was true, when Quinn just over a year ago returned to Earth Prime, or at the time thought was Earth Prime it was discovered that his parents were sliders and that he was from the Kromagg homeworld. His parents, well Colin's parents were sliders and send Colin to another world for his protection when the civil war with the Kromaggs looked bad. His involvement all turned out to be a Kromagg trick. They managed to get a double of his mother to give him an altered microdot, a small device with a message about him being from the Kromagg world and instructions to find his birth brother. They eventually found Colin and after 9 months of searching managed to find a back door in around the Slidecage and what they found really shocked Quinn emotionally.

There was only one Mallory son, Colin Mallory and Quinn never existed and was in fact a double of the brother Colin never had. The curve ball didn't stop there as the Mallory's discovered that Quinn had been implanted with a Kromagg control/tracking chip. It was designed to track a target through the dimensions and the Kromaggs hoped it would lead them to their true homeworld. Their plan half worked, they didn't account for their home dimension knowing about tracking devices or managed to come up with a cloak to conceal the signal they transmitted.

The chip was not just designed for tracking but altered Quinn's brain in particular his emotional centres as well. The part of his brain that was used for caring was effectively shut down and when he returned to false Earth Prime it was adjusted due to Wade's capture. The Kromaggs had scanned Quinn's mind on their first encounter and learnt of the compassion, loyalty and love Quinn had for his companions and knew if left unchecked Quinn would go after his missing friend and not Kromagg Prime.

Upon its removal by the Mallory's Quinn almost reverted overnight, back to the Quinn of old as Rembrandt remembered. Both Colin and Maggie had never met this Quinn and found him an almost complete stranger. It caused uneasiness and problems between the three of them especially Quinn and Maggie. It was also discovered that while the chip was working to its full capacity it wasn't fully overriding Quinn's strong emotions for Wade, something Maggie had for the past year been seeing.

After biding Colin a fair well and after the Mallory's generously helped to upgrade the timer as well as giving them all known coordinates to Kromagg labour and breeding camps Quinn, Maggie and Rembrandt continued on their mission, no longer to find Kromagg Prime but to find and rescue Wade and find the real Earth Prime.

Quinn nodded again at his friend's response. Rembrandt always had a way with words. "True but like always I will muddle through." Quinn answered.

Rembrandt not convinced continued. "I know Maggie's departure hit you hard, it hit me."

Maggie Beckett who became an important part of their team elected to stay behind on a world two months ago. Like Rembrandt and Quinn she grew tired of the constant random lifestyle and the endless dangers and struggle. She was also sick of fighting the Kromaggs. She only came along to help Quinn and Rembrandt find Kromagg Prime and now that it was all over started to think about her future. Sliding for the rest of her life didn't appeal to her and she wanted to settle down, find a man and hopefully have a child. While never voicing it to the others she like many women wanted to have a child but her tough marine exterior made it hard for her to admit it.

When she found Derek, a man on a world they were stuck on for 3 weeks she made one of the hardest decisions of her life and decided to stay. It was like leaving her family, but the Quinn she knew and the Quinn that was travelling with her were two completely different people as if they were two doubles and the one she knew, the one she loved had died after landing on Kromagg Prime. She also saw how much Quinn still cared for Wade even before getting to Kromagg Prime and often felt threatened by it and knew that if anything did happen between them Quinn would resent her for not being Wade and she would resent Wade for her hold over Quinn.

Derek on the other hand was new, exciting and made her feel like she hadn't felt since she was with Steven her ex-husband. Both Quinn and Rembrandt saw it coming, as Maggie had been rather withdrawn since Colin's departure from the team and with her announcement both Quinn and Rembrandt knowing there was no way to talk her out of it wished her well for the future and left.

Now it was only the two of them.

Quinn looked Rembrandt in the eye. "I have to be honest it wasn't that hard." He answered. "You see I still remember all the time I spent with her when I had the chip in but I didn't feel for her not like I do for you and Wade."

Rembrandt was a little shaken by the response. Maggie leaving was hard for him. She and he grew every close over the past year and it was so hard to loose both her and Colin so close together. He knew Quinn was controlled during those times and his relationship with Maggie was based on something he didn't have control over. Rembrandt also knew that he wasn't at the heart of the matter, the matter that was burning inside Quinn like a cancer. "I can understand that Q-ball, you were being controlled by the Maggs and I know how that felt." He replied.

Rembrandt while in captivity on false Earth Prime had been programmed by the Kromaggs so that once they discovered the Slidecage the programming would kick in and make sure it stayed lowered just in case Quinn's programming (the chip) failed which it did. It was at that time that Rembrandt made the connection that his escape on Earth Prime was in fact planned by the Kromaggs and that there must've been something else a foot. It wasn't until the chip was discovered in Quinn that the final piece of the plan fell into place and it all made sense.

Quinn remained quiet. The Kromagg control while giving him the added guilt of possibility showing the Kromaggs countless new worlds to conquer was not his main concern that was weighing heavy on his shoulders.

Rembrandt knew this, and finally really got to the heart of the matter. "It's Wade." He stated. "Out of it all it's her you can't forgive yourself for?" He said more as a statement than a question. It was an unspoken fact really, considering after her loss how Quinn changed so drastically.

Quinn who could feel his eyes glazing over and tears forming at the corners of his eyes just nodded a response.

Rembrandt put his hand on his friend's back. Q-ball was all he had left and he was all Quinn had left. Together they were all that was left of their sliding family and they needed to be there for one another. "Look, you had nothing to do with her abduction, if anything I am to blame as I was there."

Quinn shook his head violently. "I pushed her away Rem, she needed me after the Professor's death and I pushed her away." He exclaimed. "She was all I had from my life at home, my best friend and I just pushed her away. By the time I realized what a mistake I made she was gone taken away by those butt ugly inhuman monsters."

Rembrandt remembered the time after the Professor's death very well, they were all hurting Quinn and Wade most of all as they both looked up to the Professor as a father. "Look man you were hurting, it mightn't have been the best way to deal with it but what's done is done and I know Wade doesn't blame you." He replied.

Quinn sighed he had wasted a year chasing after some fantasy home world when he should've gone after Wade. "Rem we should've went straight after her instead waiting a year looking for Colin's world." He muttered.

Rembrandt patted him on the back. "You were controlled, none of us had any idea plus we didn't even know where to start." He responded. It was true, trying to find a single world and a single person in that world was next to impossible, yet here they were after a year taking up that mission.

Quinn looking down at his shoes thought about everything that had happened in the past two years. He regretted not being there for Wade after the Professor's death but there was something equally as painful that he had done and it didn't have to do with not looking for her sooner. "Do you what to know what I regret equally as much as for not being there for her?" He asked.

Rembrandt nodded wanting to know what was biting at the young man.

Quinn seeing this continued. "I regret kissing Maggie in front of Wade." He concluded.

Rembrandt knew finally he was getting to the core of the problem. He had heard about that kiss that took place in the final minutes on that cliff on hybrid world just before he arrived from rescuing Alexandria. After returning home and the brief time before the Kromaggs arrived, Wade confided in him over that kiss and she told him how much it hurt her as deep down she still had feelings for Quinn. Rembrandt saw this long before Wade confided in him, the world where Maggie was taken over by that parasite and Wade's reaction to Quinn's determination to rescue Maggie was his first real clue to Wade's love for Quinn still being there.

Even with Wade missing Rembrandt couldn't break his oath of confidence but instead tried a different approach. "You love her don't you?" He asked.

Quinn nodded. "I regret never openly telling her."

---

**What if you found a portal to a parallel universe? What if you could slide into a thousand different worlds, where it's the same year, and you're the same person, but everything else is different? And what if you can't find your way home? **

Staring  


**Jerry O'Connell as Quinn Mallory  
Sabrina Lloyd as Wade Welles  
Cleavant Derricks as Rembrandt "Cryin Man" Brown  
Tembi Locke as Diana Davis**

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Wade Welles stirred in her cot. "QUINN" She screamed. "NO DON'T LEAVE ME."

Diana awoke with a startle to the screams of her cellmate and friend. Looking over she saw Wade tossing and turning in her sleep. Pulling her aching body out of bed Diana rushed over to Wade. "Wade, wake up." Diana whispered shaking her friend looking back and forth from her friend to the bars of their cell.

"DON'T LEAVE ME FOR HER QUINN." Wade squealed still fast asleep locked in her nightmare. It was a nightmare Wade often had, the last few moments Wade saw Quinn before being pushed into that vortex that took her home.

Diana knowing the guards would be along any moment if she didn't wake Wade or at least quiet her down did the only thing she could and forcibly shook Wade. "Wake up Wade." She hissed louder this time.

Wade immediately shot up in her cot startled and now wide awake. She could feel the sweet on her body and her heart pounding a thousand beats per minute. She looked over to see Diana at her bedside looking at her.

Diana noticed Wade's look and explained. "You were having another nightmare Wade." Diana Davis knew it was about Quinn, apart from Wade calling his name out, the only nightmares that made Wade vocal where about him. She had never met Quinn Mallory or any of his doubles but had learnt a lot about him from his best friend that she shared a cell with. Being in a Kromagg labour camp one didn't really find the time to make friends and the only company one had was their cell mate or the guards who despised the very fibre of their being.

Wade sighed as tears rolled down her face. They must've been here for close to six months now, or was it longer? They couldn't tell as with no clocks and no calendars they couldn't keep track of the weeks and months. The days just rolled on into one another and one didn't even think about trying to keep track of the hours, the sun was their only time keeping device and it was highly inaccurate for the long term.

Wade Welles and Diana Davis had become good friends since they met here. Both were former prisoners at breeding camps but tests on them proven that they were poor stock and they nor any infant would survive a pregnancy so where shipped to a labour camp. It was a small miracle one that they were both highly thankful for but it also brought the wraith of the guards as to a Kromagg what good was a human female their age if they couldn't produce Humagg offspring?

Wade still starring at her friend could see how worried she was. "Sorry Dee." Wade apologized knowing full well it was a good chance she could've attracted the guards.

Diana smiled at her friend and could see who much the dream had disturbed her. "It's okay at least the guards didn't come this time." She replied.

Wade solemnly nodded. The guards had more than once disciplined prisoners for making too much noise. Though discipline from a Kromagg was actually what most humans called an out right assault or beating. Wade had received a number of these due to her nightmares and stubborn nature. She suspected it was also due to her inability to produce Humaggs for them.

"It's Quinn again isn't it?" Diana asked knowing what was on Wade's mind. She knew there was something deep there between Wade and whoever this Quinn was. What she did know was that they were best friends closer to family really and Wade cared a great deal for him. Diana speculated that Wade was deeply in love with him too but Wade never said anything about it nor even answered her when she asked directly about it.

Wade smiled. "Yeah it's Quinn again I just hope he's safe." Wade replied. More than anything, perhaps even her own freedom she hoped that Quinn was safe and looking for her. She'd hoped he returned to Earth Prime managed to get Rembrandt out and together were looking for her. But it had been so long since she had seen either of them that she was starting to give up hope but never voiced or showed it trying to keep Diana's spirits up.

Diana patted her arm. "From what you told me Wade I am sure he is." She replied. "I'm sure he is out there somewhere looking for you." Diana was a physicist and understood sliding better than Wade could explain it. Diana was well versed in the Einstein-Rosen-Pudalski Bridge theory as well as superstring theory and cosmic wormholes along with many other various physic theories. In fact when the Kromaggs invaded her Earth she along with several scientists where on the verge of discovering inter-dimensional travel. Wade had explained to her all about the worlds she had been too and all the amazing and some rather disturbing worlds and adventures she'd experienced.

"Yeah I hope so." Wade replied with not a lot of confidence. She'd hoped that if Quinn was out there nothing bad happened to him. She put Maggie Beckett into that category and hoped the two never went past that kiss and only remained friends. She still remembered that kiss and how much it hurt to be there to watch it, that memory was like a ghost that haunted her.

Diana pulled her into a hug. "Wade if everything you told me about him and Rembrandt is true I am sure that right now they are working on a way to get you out." She said trying to lift her friend's spirits up, after all, all they had where each other. But she knew the amount of worlds out there that it could easily take years even if they somehow where lucky enough to get their hands on some sort of interdimensional map. She also further couldn't imagine two civilians breaking into a heavily guarded Kromagg labour camp and getting out with Wade alive.

"He will Dee and when they come they'll get you out too." Wade replied still hugging her friend. She knew somehow and somewhere she and Quinn would see each other again. She loved him and she knew deep down Quinn loved her and that they were meant for each other and he wouldn't just abandon her. She had to believe that it was all that kept her going here.

Rembrandt yawned again as he entered the common room in their suite at the Chandler. He saw Quinn slumped over the desk working on the timer, for the past three months all Quinn did was work on the timer. Almost every spare waking moment he spent was on the timer, but Rembrandt now knew why he did it. It was out of love and hope in finding the one he loves again.

He walked over and towered over Quinn. "How's it coming Q-ball?" He asked. He knew Quinn had come up with something new that he thought would help him locate Wade though kept a tight lid on it.

Quinn looked up noticing for the first time Rembrandt was up. "I think I almost have it." Quinn replied with the most enthusiasm in his voice that he had in a long time. "How was your nap?" He asked the older slider.

"Yeah good, sure needed it after the last world as dodging Kromaggs for twelve hours is not what I call relaxing." Rembrandt remarked with a slight grin as recalled the last world they were on and looked at the timer and the scattered electrical components over the bench. Looking Quinn in the eye he asked. "So mind telling me what all this timer modifying is about?"

Quinn slyly smirked at the question. He knew Rembrandt had always wanted to know what was going on even back at the beginning and his 'In English' comments demonstrated that. "Well you see I got the idea from Kromagg Prime." Quinn explained. "Simply put I created what I believe is a quantum signature analyser."

"Right." Rembrandt remarked confused as hell. "Still ain't helping man." Rembrandt never understood egghead talk and all it usually did was make his head hurt.

Quinn chuckled. "Well I am assuming our world is still free from the Kromaggs." Quinn replied. After what happened on false Earth Prime he couldn't face that situation again. "And since that would mean that we should be the only people from home off world along with Wade, I am going to use the analyser to search for her quantum signature which is identical to ours… If it works we should be actually able track her to the world she is on."

Rembrandt grew a massive grin. "That's great." He responded. At last they may actually be able to right some wrongs, that's if it worked. "But won't it pick up like some old cloths or lost keys or something from our early slides?"

Quinn knew as well as Rembrandt that they had discarded many things from home on their early slides. "I have it set for a certain size quantum signature, roughly the size of a human body in this case Wade's." Quinn answered.

"Wait a minute." Rembrandt said as it just dawned on him that this new gadget of Quinn's could solve all their problems. "Could this scanner thingy actually get us home?" He asked.

Quinn nodded. "It can but it's a one shot deal, once I fire it up it will burn up after the scan so it's either we scan for Wade or home we can't do both."

"You could always build another one couldn't you?" Rembrandt asked. He knew between Wade and home he would choose Wade but if there was a chance that they could get both he would be ecstatic.

Quinn shook his head with a solemn expression on his face. "Most the parts I used to make this came from the advanced technology I got from Kromagg Prime and we would need to find another advanced world like that so I could get parts." He explained.

They both knew returning to Kromagg Prime was now impossible, the back door Quinn found was effectively sealed. The humans on Kromagg Prime still feared the Kromaggs returning, why one would want to return to an almost complete toxic wasteland, thanks to the anti-Kromagg weapon, was beyond them but it was their home after all.

Rembrandt sighed. Great home within reach again but something more important had to be done. Where they ever going to get home?

"So what will it be Cryin man, home or Wade?" Quinn asked. He himself knew what Rembrandt would pick as it was the same option he would choose. But he had to give this friend the choice, they were a team and they needed to stick together if they were to survive.

Rembrandt looked at him with a serious expression on his face. "Do you even need to ask?" He responded. "Of course we go after Wade."

Quinn smiled he had read Rembrandt like a book. "Give me a few more minutes then it should be all set." He replied returning to his work.

Rembrandt was about to turn around but then stopped and looked back to Quinn deep heavy in his work. "Hey Q-ball, can you be certain it will really be Wade?" He asked. He knew full well they couldn't be certain but this was Q-ball after all so anything was possible.

Quinn looked back up at him. "There's no way to be positive, but I am running it in sync with the coordinates we were given by Colin's parents, if they both match then I am pretty sure it's Wade but can't be certain, we never can be about anything really."

Rembrandt patted him on the back. "Well its better chances than gambling and we are due for a big break." He responded and left Quinn to his work.

The blue vortex ripped through the fabric of space and spun wildly, it flashed with its normal thunder like sound and spat out two men who landed on the ground and then closed.

Both men quickly got to their feet and looked around.

"Looks like we're in the clear, how much time Q-ball?" Rembrandt asked still looking at the forest they landed in.

"15 hours." He replied stashing the timer into his jacket pocket.

Rembrandt was relieved it wasn't something like an hour or a few days. "At least we both got some sleep on the last world do you think 15 hours will be enough?" He asked.

Quinn looked over to his friend. "Well if it isn't there's no reason why we can't slide back on our next slide."

"Good point…" Rembrandt replied looking around. "So which way?" He asked. The forest stretched in all directions and there were no signs of civilization. There was a meadow a couple of yards ahead and mountains off in the distance.

As if to answer Rembrandt's question, a red vortex in the air opened up and a Kromagg manta ship emerged. Both men took cover behind some trees and observed the ship moving off in a direction away from the sliders.

Quinn smiled looking over to Rembrandt. "Well to hazard a guess I say we go in that direction." He suggested pointing in the direction the Manta was heading.

Rembrandt chuckled. "Sounds good to me though I never thought we would actually case one of those things."

The humour was not missed by Quinn but ignored. He was just excited that he was so close to finding Wade and just hoped she was alive and in relative good health. He didn't want to think what the Maggs had done to her, if they had rapped her he would never forgive himself. Looking at Rembrandt he smiled again putting those thoughts out of his head as right now he needed to concentrate on finding her. "Well we only have 15 hours, I say we get started." He said leaving his cover behind and heading in the direction of the Manta.

Rembrandt followed but like Quinn were keeping an eye out for trouble.

It was two hours later and the two men still hadn't come across anything, but that was about to change.

"Quick get down." Quinn hissed as he dropped to his feet.

Rembrandt not needing to be told twice did as he was told. Slowly he crawled over next to Quinn and looked over the edge of the small cliff they were walking beside. Through the thick forest he saw what Quinn saw. "Oh this ain't good." He remarked as he saw the now landed manta ship and what looked like close to 100 Humagg soldiers.

"Don't move… Get up and turn around slowly."

Both men froze the second they heard the voice but got over it quickly and obeyed. Raising to their feet the slowly looked over to see three Humagg soldiers all holding pulse rifles at their heads.

The head Humagg starred at them for a few moments then looked to his companion to his left. "Get back to base camp and tell the Commander we are bringing in two human males." He ordered.

"Yes sir." Replied the second Humagg as he lowered his weapon and headed off in the direction they came.

"Come on move it, I am sure the Commander will be interested in you two." The head Humagg said.

Both Quinn and Rembrandt quickly glanced at each other. They both knew what those rifles were capable of especially Rembrandt who had once been shot by one of them. Right now the Humaggs had the advantage and any move by them would end with them being shot. So they did as they were told.

The walk back to the Humagg base camp, which they found out to be the landed Manta took only about twenty minutes, was a slow one. As they approached they saw that their original estimate of the Humagg soldiers was roughly right and they all were armed for a war, what surprised them was that there was not a single Kromagg in sight, they were all Humaggs.

"On your knees." The Humagg that was in charge and had escorted them back to base ordered.

Quinn and Rembrandt with the hands on their heads sat down on their knees as two new Humaggs walked up and bound their hands.

"So you found two humans?"

Quinn thought he recognised that female voice but was unable to see as the voice originated behind him. He just remained still waiting for a chance to get out of this rather impossible predicament. Quinn heard a few whispers then some footsteps right behind him. It wasn't long for whoever was behind him to move into his view. Quinn looked up and saw who must've spoken earlier. "Kyra?" He gasped looking at the Humagg female with orange hair.

Kyra was equally shocked. She had met this human before, or at least one of his dimensional copies. But this one knew her name and she looked over to see he was travelling with another man, he was the same one that she healed when she first met Quinn. She looked back to Quinn and looked into his eyes, he knew her name was this the Quinn that helped her see that the Kromagg was wasn't the right way. "Quinn, is it really you?"

"If you're the Kyra I met 6 months ago then yes, but I saw you get stabbed and die." He responded. He had met Kyra on Kromagg outpost 88 it was used by the Dynasty as a training facility for Humagg soldiers who hunted humans so that their human nature could be flushed out of them leaving only the Kromagg part. He managed to convince Kyra that what the Kromaggs were doing was wrong and that fighting family and friendship was what was important.

Kyra looked over to her lieutenants. "Cut them loose, they are allies." She ordered.

Two Humagg soldiers looked at each other confused. Kyra noticed this. "Do it, they are the ones that helped me start this revolt." She ordered annoyed.

The two Humaggs walked over and cut Quinn and Rembrandt's binding and the two men got to their feet.

Kyra smiled. "We have much to discuss, this way."

Rembrandt looked over to Quinn as it to say 'Do we go or what.' Quinn nodded and started to follow her as Rembrandt followed him closely behind. They were taken to a tent near the manta and taken inside and sat down.

"So Kyra mind telling us what all this is about?" Quinn asked. He couldn't figure out how they hadn't been interrogated or beaten yet but from her saying to one of her guards about a revolt he suspected she was leading a Humagg uprising against the Kromaggs.

Rembrandt too had questions. "Yeah mind telling us how you're still alive?"

Kyra handed them both a cup of liquid. They both took it and examined what was in it.

"Its water, you must be thirsty." She said.

"Thanks." Quinn responded and took a sip. "So what's going on and why aren't we still in shackles?"

Kyra smiled. "Well considering the Kromaggs are the enemy I see no reason to keep you captive." She answered shocking both men.

"So you're leading an uprising against the Maggs?" Rembrandt asked.

Kyra nodded. "Thanks to the two of you I managed to help convince others of my kind." She replied.

"And the part about being dead?" Rembrandt asked.

Kyra chuckled. "I wasn't actually dead, well not fully." She responded. "I was taken back to the base and healed then left to rot in a cell as an example to other hybrids who dared to betray the Dynasty."

"Seems to have had the opposite effect." Quinn observed.

"Ah yes." Kyra responded. "I managed to convince a few that they treat us like humans and that at our core we are more like you than them… I also gave them a few things to think about like if they ever managed to cure the condition in their females that we would be obsolete and discarded like any regular human." She explained and looked over to the men. "No offence."

"None taken." Quinn responded. "So why are you on this Earth?" He asked.

"I could ask you the same question I wasn't expecting the see the two of you on a Kromagg controlled world, must less chasing a Kromagg manta." She responded.

Quinn had a feeling that if Wade was here she might know and may actually help considering what they did for her last time they met. "We didn't come here by accident." He explained. "Do you remember Wade, the woman I mentioned we were looking for last time we met?"

Kyra nodded.

Quinn continued. "Well we followed her quantum signature to this world and intend to rescue her. It matched the coordinates of a list of Kromagg breeding camps we managed to obtained."

Kyra sat down opposite them. "I'm sorry to tell you this but this world only has a labour camp here." She responded.

"Q-Ball you think that gizmo played up?" Rembrandt asked. He couldn't believe it so close yet they missed out again and he was actually sure this time was it, this time they would finally rescue Wade.

Quinn looked over to him. "No we got a signal that she is here or at least someone from our world." Quinn responded. "It worked she has to be here there has to be some mistake."

Kyra watching the conversation spoke up. "There may be another explanation." She said getting the men's attention. "With Humagg pregnancies being so violent on human women many Humagg offspring can't survive it and due to this, women are screened and if determined that the infant won't survive a pregnancy the human woman is shipped to a labour camp instead."

A sense of relief washed over Quinn, if that was true and Wade was one of them his worst fears of her being violated never happened. Wade was small for a woman, petite and surely would fit into the unable infant to survive a violent pregnancy category.

"Q-Ball, doesn't that list we have include labour camps?" Rembrandt asked.

Quinn nodded at Rembrandt and looked over to Kyra. "I am guessing you're here to liberate the camp?" He asked.

"Yes we are we're planning to see if any of the soon to be former prisoners will be willing to join us with our fight against the Maggs, I am sure more than a few humans are willing to give the Kromaggs some of their own back." She said. "I am although interested in this list you say you have, we have sketchy Intel at best concerning the Maggs."

Quinn smiled this might just work to their advantage after all. "Kyra are you interested in a trade?" He asked.

"I'm listening." Kyra responded intrigued.

"We have in our procession a list of all known Kromagg breeding and labour camps." Quinn explained. "In exchange for this will you help Rembrandt and I free Wade and get her to safety."

Kyra was surprised that they had such a list. "How did you get your hands on such a list?" She asked genuinely interested.

"A few months back we found a backdoor into Kromagg Prime and the human population there helped us after we told them about Wade." Quinn answered.

Kyra was surprised by the news. "You're telling me, you made it to the homeworld?" She asked astounded by the revelation that these two men had made it to a world the Kromaggs had been attempting to get back to for almost twenty years.

"We sure did." Rembrandt said. "Those Maggs should give it up it's not somewhere I want to live."

Quinn nodded. "It's a wasteland, a dying world. The humans there also sealed the back door after we left in fear of the Kromaggs re-invading." He answered. "So what do you say? Are you interested in the trade?"

Kyra smiled. "I can't make any promises that she'll get out alive as Kromaggs have a habit of killing their prisoners rather than letting them escape but I will do what I can to guard her safety."

Quinn nodded. "I want to be part of that raid, I owe it to Wade." He replied as he knew he wanted to be there when she was found.

"So do I." Rembrandt chimed in.

Quinn agreed they were a team. "Give us a couple of guns a few of your soldiers and we will find her ourselves if we have to." Quinn added.

Kyra moved out her hand and Quinn shook it. "Quinn, you have a deal." She replied. "Let's start planing as we plan to attack in the early hours of the morning."

Quinn nodded. "Well we only have 7 hours then, let's see what we can do."

Wade shot up in her bed as the loud bang was heard. "What was that?" She hissed looking over to Diana. It was dark easily early hours of the morning.

Diana shrugged as she got up and went to the window looking out. It was a small barred window which was hard to see and didn't have much of a view.

A Kromagg Manta ship flew over head firing off laser weapons. Large explosions which she couldn't see but certainly heard erupted.

Wade jumped as she heard the explosion. "Someone's attacking the camp." She realized looking over to Diana.

Diana seeing the whole attack looked over to Wade. "I don't understand it, one of the Kromagg ships just opened fire on the camp."

Wade jumped up out of her cot and raced over to the window. "You serious?" She asked as she looked out of the window but saw nothing and looked back to Diana.

"I'm sure Wade it just flew right open and shot its laser weapons." Diana replied.

Wade smiled the biggest smile she had in a long time. "Maybe its Quinn, maybe he's finally came to rescue me." She squealed.

Diana put her hand on Wade's arm. "Wade it was a Kromagg ship, how could Quinn get one?" She asked.

Wade shrugged it off. "Who cares?" She replied excited.

Diana shook her head. She could see how excited Wade was and didn't want for her to get her hopes up. "Wade It can't be Quinn. He and Rembrandt can't pull off an attack on the camp." She countered.

Wade shook her head. "No Diana I can feel it, it's just Quinn's style, to do the unexpected." She replied grinning wildly.

Diana just sighed. Wade wouldn't listen to her and Diana started to see that Quinn was Wade's knight in shinning armour that could do the impossible.

Quinn and Rembrandt along with dozens of Humagg soldiers disembarked from the Manta weapons in hand and started to storm the camp. Laser fire and pulse fire was going in all directions as the Kromaggs defended the base against the rebel Humaggs.

Kyra leading the assault took cover along side Quinn and Rembrandt. She activated her comm and spoke. "Kolos, Kernar start your search for Wade Welles, if you find her safely evac her to the manta." She ordered.

After getting the confirm signal from her lieutenants she looked back to the two humans. "Well let's free some prisoners." She said smiling and the three headed towards the 3rd prisoner cell wing.

It wasn't long before they were cut off by several Kromagg guards firing at the threesome.

"Damn it." Quinn scowled. "We'll never get Wade at this rate." He complained as he returned fire at the Maggs.

Kolos entered the 2nd prisoner cell wing and took down another Kromagg guard. He looked over at his partner. "All clear Karra?" He asked. She nodded and they headed deeper into the block.

"You hear that?" Wade hissed at Diana who nodded.

The weapon fire was getting closer it was inside the building and whoever it was that was invading seemed to be winning as they were getting closer.

"Perhaps it's some human resistance on this world?" Diana speculated looking over at Wade.

Wade shook her head. "I can't see how, it's all just country and forests, if it wasn't for this camp it would be beautiful." She replied.

Another blast caught her attention as a Kromagg soldier flew in front of their cell and landed on the ground dead. Seconds later two Humaggs, which Wade and Diana had never seen before walked up to the bars.

"Look we're on your side we're going to get you out of here." Karra said at the two human women.

Wade noticed immediately that they weren't human, not fully anyway. "You're hybrids? Why are you fighting the Kromaggs?" She asked. She was frightened but tried not to show it, but they were clearly hybrids, bread to serve the Kromaggs.

Karra smiled. "Ever head of a revolt, a revolution?" She asked. "We're more like you than those monsters." She said attaching an explosive to the cell. "Back away this thing's about to blow." She warned and took cover herself.

Wade and Diana took cover by throwing Diana's cot on its side and hiding behind it. Seconds after they did the explosive went off blowing the cell door off its hinges and destroying the lock.

"Karra, couldn't you just shoot the thing?" Kolos growled.

"Yeah sure, if you want them dead." She retorted looking over to the women. "Either of you two called Welles?" She asked.

Wade and Diana got up and approached the cell door that now was lying on Wade's cot. "I am Wade Welles." Wade responded. She didn't know why they wanted to know but at this rate didn't care.

Karra smiled. "Good." She said looking over to Kolos. "You can let Kyra know we found her." She said.

Kolos picked up his radio. "Kyra, this is Kolos, we have Welles." He firmly informed his superior.

The radio came to life. "Good, get her back here to the Manta, make sure she makes it." Kyra ordered.

Kyra looked over to Quinn. "They have her, lets evac to the Manta." She said. "We got everything we came for."

Quinn and Rembrandt both smiled at each other.

"We've done it man." Rembrandt remarked. Finally after a year they almost had her back, within minutes they would be seeing her again.

Quinn nodded smiling and was about to speak when a Kromagg laser blast just missed them.

"Come on, move it." Kyra spat. Both men did as they were told and evacuated.

It took the three of them a few minutes to get back to the Manta as they approached it, Quinn could see humans and Humaggs boarding the ship. Most of the Humaggs were providing cover for the humans. Quinn in his wildest dreams never thought he would see humans and Humaggs working together.

Rembrandt headed for the manta as did Kyra but Quinn stopped when he saw two Humaggs and two human females in trouble. Without even thinking he heading towards them, he couldn't see who they were but it didn't matter they needed help.

Wade and Diana followed their saviours out of the cell block and saw the chaos that had engulfed the camp, a camp that had been their home for so long and watching it burn and getting blow apart made them smile.

As if out of nowhere Kolos was hit by a laser blast and went down and Karra took cover but was knocked out from behind.

Rembrandt looked up to see Quinn running across the battlefield. "Damn it Q-ball." Rembrandt cursed. "I ain't loosing you to." He muttered as he headed after him but moving more carefully than his younger friend.

Quinn headed towards the scene as he saw one of the Humaggs get shot and go down. He picked up his pace careful not to be seen and making sure he wasn't getting shot at. He raised his rifle as the second Humagg that took cover was hit with the butt of a Kromagg rifle and went down.

Wade and Diana who both fell to the ground when Kolos was hit looked up to see a pair of Kromagg soldiers hovering over them with their rifles. As one of them was about to hit Diana with the butt of it Wade threw herself in the line protecting her friend. She was hit but not put out but was dizzy.

"Wade." Diana shrieked as her friend fell into her lap. She looked up to see the Kromagg lift his weapon again aiming for her.

Quinn aimed his pulse rifle at the Kromagg and fired. He hit him and the Kromagg went down just in front of the two human women. The other Kromagg turned around and took aim when Karra aimed and shot him having just awoken from her hit to the head.

Quinn ran over to the two women, he could only see Diana's face. "You girls okay?" He asked.

Diana nodded surprised to see a human male working with the hybrids.

Quinn looked up over to the Humagg. "How about you, can you get back to the Manta okay?"

Karra nodded. "Just a bump to the head, I'll be fine." She replied standing up.

Quinn nodded. "Well lets get these two back to the ship." He replied taking charge. He knew that there were still a good number of Kromaggs around and their Manta was preparing to leave.

Wade still dizzy head the male voice, she knew that voice. It couldn't be him could it? "Quinn." She murmured.

Quinn heard her and moved her long hair off her face to see Wade he had never seen Wade with long hair before, only one of her doubles. No wonder he didn't recognise her, that and he gotten used to her having red hair, as that was how she was when he last saw her not her natural brown that she now had back. "Wade… It's really you?" He gasped. He knew he would find her on this world, but now she was here it felt so unreal.

Diana looked at Quinn. Was this the Quinn, the man Wade talked about all the time or was it just a double or someone who shared the same name. "Quinn Mallory?" She asked.

Quinn looked to Diana. "That's me." He responded smiling and excited to finally have Wade back.

Rembrandt came running up as Wade lost conscious. "Come on Q-ball, the manta's going to leave without us." He barked.

Quinn dropped his weapon and picked Wade up in his arms smiling.

Rembrandt saw this. "Is that?" He asked as Quinn cut him off.

"It's Wade Rembrandt, we finally rescued her." He interrupted. Quinn now felt that the last year all the pain was finally worth it.

Diana got up and looked at the two men. "Quinn Mallory and Rembrandt Brown?" She asked surprised. Was Wade right? Had Quinn and Rembrandt been able to do the impossible?

Rembrandt looked around. "That's us but right now let's get out of here." He yelled. He was excited to see Wade but knew very well they couldn't hang around here and commence with idle chit chat.

Karra agreed. "Let's move it before more Magg's show up." She yelled heading towards their manta.

Rembrandt grabbed Diana by the arm and the group of four humans and one Humagg headed over to the manta. Dodging the laser blasts they entered the Manta, some of the last to do so and the Manta took off. Once it was far enough away it opened a vortex and disappeared.

Wade felt dizzy as she came around. She looked around to find herself on a cot in a tent. She started to get up but felt some hands pushing her back down.

"Easy there, you got a rather nasty bump on your head."

Wade looked over to see Quinn sitting on a chair hands on her arms pushing her back to the cot. Wade rubbed her eyes and looked again. "Quinn… Is it really you?" She stammered.

Quinn nodded. He knew this would not be a simple 'Hi how are you' conversation. The concept of him being a double was no doubt in her head. "It's me Wade, the Quinn you went sliding with." He answered not that it would convince her.

Wade rubbed her eyes again as if doing so would make her wake up for her dream. Taking her hands away he was still here. "Is it really you? I'm not dreaming am I?" She asked.

Quinn smiled. "You would only be fuelling my ego if I found out you were having dreams about me." He joked. Seeing her straight face he started to explain. "Wade it's me, your Quinn Mallory. Remember asteroid world, dream master world, naked world and mystic world?" He asked rattling off some of the nicknames they gave some of the worlds they visited.

Wade pushed herself up in the bed still gazing at him.

Quinn continued. "I'm not a double I am really your Quinn, Q-ball." He said trying to convince her by using Rembrandt's nickname for him. "Remember when I got lost on the astral plane and only Gillian could see and hear me? Or how about when you got sick with the Q and the Professor found a cure?" He asked.

Wade continued to look at him she didn't know what to say. Was this really her Quinn or was a Kromagg standing at her cell door playing with her mind. It had happened before. She was in a mild chase of shock, she remembered getting free and the Kromaggs stopping them and then it all went dark. But she vaguely recalled heard Quinn's voice there.

Quinn turned around with his back to her. He knew visual evidence might be needed and rolled up his shirt. "Wade, remember the bullet wound and the scar it left from lottery world?" He asked.

He was right, Wade remembered that well and it did leave a nasty scar and there it was. On his left shoulder she moved over and had a closer look and even touched it that made him jump a bit with her touch. It was real and not make up so could it possible be?

Quinn felt her touch him and it was like a shark of electricity entering his body, something that felt good. He pulled his shirt back down and turned around to look at her. She was starring at him and then he knew there was something that would really convince her. He pulled the necklace he had on off and handed it to her. "I believe this belongs to you, the resistance gave it to me when I finally tracked your wormhole."

She looked at the necklace she had in her hand. A simple necklace with four metallic cubes that spelt out Wade.

"I still remember buying that for you for your 22nd birthday, our second year at sliding if I remember correctly." He said smiling at her.

By now she was trembling. Could it be, could Quinn had finally have saved her?

He pulled her into a hug. "It's me Wade, remember the time you broke up with Chris back home and I went as your date to the Valentine party?" He asked.

Wade smiled remembering the party. Chris cheated on her and she found out when she went over to surprise him with an early valentine's gift only to find him in bed with another woman. Quinn was the only one there for her at that time as her family were away on holidays and many of her friends were out with their boyfriends. It wasn't long after that when she discovered what a great guy Quinn was and fell for him. "It's really you?" She asked again.

"It's me Wade sorry it took so long there's so much we need to tell you." He responded holding her. He couldn't believe it, finally after over a year she was back and in his arms.

Wade pulled away from the hug and before she could ask about what he meant when he said 'we' the tent door opened and Rembrandt and Diana came in. "Hey sweetheart, it's great to have you back." Rembrandt said as he walked over and pulled her into a hug.

"Remmy." She squealed.

Quinn seeing her reaction to Rembrandt who she seemed was happier see hurt him. The excitement on her face compared to the look she had when she was talking to him was like polar opposites. But he couldn't blame her as everything that happened to her was his fault after all. His fault about the Kromaggs and sliding and knowing she rather not have him here he got up and headed for the door. He took one look back to see that she was still holding Rembrandt with tears in her eyes and then left.

Diana witness this and was about to leave to follow him when Wade called her over. "Diana this is Remmy and over here is… Where's Quinn gone?"

Rembrandt was also looking around he didn't notice Quinn leaving either. "Where is Q-ball? He was here when I came in." He said.

Diana weakly smiled. "I think he went out for some fresh air." She answered and looked over to Rembrandt. "It's good to finally meet the person behind the name, Wade has told me a lot about you and Quinn." She explained.

"Why'd he go?" Wade asked to no one in particular looking at the door. She'd hadn't even had five minutes with him and he already disappeared.

Diana sat down where Quinn was sitting before he left and looked her friend in the eye. "Wade I think he was a little upset in how you responded to him compared to Rembrandt." She said. "I could see it in his eyes."

"Damn it Q-ball." Rembrandt muttered shaking his head sitting down at the bottom of Wade's cot.

Wade looked over to her long time friend. "What is it Remmy?" She asked. She was still trying to get over the shock of seeing Quinn when Rembrandt came in. "You know why he reacted like that?"

Rembrandt sighed. "Girl he had been through hell and back, between the three of us I am real worried about him. He was even been talking about giving up on life."

Wade's mouth opened in shock. Rembrandt was not one to use such phrases lightly. "What's happened to him?" She asked scared. What had Quinn through since they last seen each other? There was now no doubt in her mind that this Quinn was her Quinn.

"What hasn't happened to him?" Rembrandt responded. "He's had his world turned upside down and inside out twice, thought he found his long lost brother only to find it a Kromagg trick, had a Kromagg control device controlling him for god knows how many years and had two of his closest friends just leave him." He answered and looked up to see Wade's face, he needed to explain it in detail and Quinn may need some time to himself as he knew the kid he had personal demons to sort through. "Why don't I start at the beginning… It started after he slid back to Earth Prime with Maggie, or what we thought was Earth Prime three months after you and I originally arrived…"

Quinn had spent the last few hours talking to a few of the Humaggs in the camp. It seemed that most of the humans liberated in the attack had decided to join up as Kyra has hoped, the rebellion was growing and Quinn couldn't be happier for them.

He showed Kyra the worlds under Kromagg control they had been too since they got the list and gave her as many details on those worlds as he could. He wanted to give them every chance to free them. Now he was alone fiddling with the timer, they still had four hours left and he was really just trying to work things out in his head and working on the timer always allowed him to do that.

"There you are Q-ball." Rembrandt remarked as he Wade and Diana walked up to Quinn.

Quinn didn't take his eyes off the timer as he continued to work. "Hey Rem, how's Wade doing?" He asked.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" He replied.

Quinn looked up to see the three of them standing around him. Wade was watching him intently and he also felt the gaze of the others which made him feel like he was on trial. "Oh… hi guys didn't see you there." He declared.

Diana had her eyes fixed on the timer. "So this is the timer that creates the bridge." She asked. "How'd you manage to stabilise the wormhole without loss of integrity? Every time we tired our probes came back burnt." She explained.

Rembrandt shook his head. "Oh great, another egghead." He muttered.

Wade smiled at her friend and his running gag at scientists then looked back over to see Quinn just sitting there fiddling with the timer not really doing anything to it just trying to look busy.

Rembrandt noticed this too and grabbed the timer passing it to Diana. "Why don't you Diana have a look at his while Q-ball and Wade catch up?" He said leading Diana away.

"Sure." Diana replied taking the timer from Rembrandt.

Wade noticing they were now some meters away sat down next to Quinn. Wade decided to start knowing Quinn would sit there for an hour and still say nothing. "Hey Quinn, you okay?" She asked.

He looked up at her and put on a false smile, something she saw straight through. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I am just happy you're out free." He mumbled. He was still hurt by the lack of a response he got from her and how she responded to Rembrandt when she saw him.

"You don't seem okay, you disappeared earlier." She replied. "I only had 5 minutes with you."

Quinn rubbed his hand through his hair, something Wade knew he did when he was uncomfortable or frustrated. "Well you needed time with your friends, so I thought I would give you all space." He replied

She grabbed his arm as if in panic mode. "Quinn you're my friend too, in fact you're still my best friend, no one can ever replace you." She was surprised he didn't know this, after the past five years he was the one person she wanted in her life. If they never got home but she had him she'll be alright.

"Some friend!" He replied rolling his eyes. He didn't feel much like a friend, considering everything he'd done over the past 5 years.

"Quinn it wasn't your fault what happened to me." She replied she could see the guilt in his eyes added to what Rembrandt told her about what Quinn said to him on the last world they were on.

"Yes it is Wade I pushed you through that vortex. If I went with you I could've stopped the Maggs from taking you." He exclaimed. "I've decided you'll all be better of with out me… That's why I am staying here."

"What?" Wade retorted.

"Kyra needs help with this rebellion, by helping her I can try and make up for all the wrong I have done and I…"

Wade interrupted. "You've been searching for me for over a year and you're just going to leave like that?" She spat. "You're not even a soldier, you're a scientist."

Quinn sighed. "I've changed in the past year Wade I've picked up a gun more times than a book. The Kromaggs have turned me into a soldier." He looked over to her. "All that aside I realise I am easily the worst thing that has ever happened to you, if I never existed or you never met me you'd never had gone sliding, you'd be back home living a life rather than what you've been forced to endure."

"Look Quinn, it wasn't your fault none of it, you've got to let this guilt go." Wade protested. "If you don't, it's going to hurt us both."

"I don't think I can, it's been a constant companion, the only one that has been there with me from day one and it's what keeps me going what pushes me forward, especially this last year." He admitted. "Don't you see why its better I just leave?"

Wade shook her head Quinn was so thick headed at times. "I didn't spend close to a year in that camp to find my friends again only to loose them." She persisted. "I go where you go, if you're staying here then so am I."

Rembrandt who was standing a few meters away and had overheard the entire conversation walked in on it. "She's right Q-ball, we're sticking with you." He said, "You haven't let us down yet plus we need you, Wade and I don't know a thing about the timer."

Quinn looked over to Diana who had it in her hands and from her question earlier he could tell she was a physicist. She noticed this and defended herself. "Don't look at me. Until Wade told me about sliding I thought it was all theoretical." She said. "I can't take on a responsibility like that I don't even know how this thing works yet."

Rembrandt stepped in again. "Q-Ball, we need you not only for the timer, you've gotten us out of some hairy situations. You've been leading us for 5 years and look we got Wade back so I think you do a pretty damn good job." Rembrandt told him smiling. "Breaking into a Kromagg compound is no small task and how many times have we done that now?" It was true they had a knack at breaking into Kromagg facilities they'd give James Bond a run for his money.

"He's right Quinn." Wade agreed. "You've done a great job sure there's been a few bumps in the road but no one's perfect."

"I sure am sweetheart." Rembrandt replied with a grin. "Q-Ball with everything we've been through the last year you and I have always stuck together, through thick and thin. I also know Wade's now stuck to you like glue so you really have no choice, we'll follow you like sheep if we have too. Plus what you said on the last world about only going on due to Wade and I needing you, well that's still the case now."

Wade grabbed Quinn and pulled him into a hug as her emotions and fears got the best of her. "I've lost you once and I am not going to let it happen again, I need you Quinn." She cried as she felt tears swell up in her eyes.

Rembrandt chuckled. "Come on Q-ball how can you say no to that? Damn you get all the girls throwing themselves at you." Rembrandt laughed. He knew well they both loved each other and he also knew that it wouldn't be long for something to happen between them, as long as they remained together.

Quinn held her tight and sunk his head into her neck. He could feel her vice grip lock around his ribs and shyly smiled. "You mean that?" He whispered into her ear.

"Yes, stay with us, with me." She whispered back, pleading with him she couldn't lose him now not after finding him again. "We still have a home out there, lets find it together then we can forget all about the bad things sliding has done to us…" Wade replied, "and live our lives together." Wade said before she realizing what she just said and blushed but couldn't be seen by the others.

Quinn's heart skipped a beat when he heard that. "Alright." He responded. He realized he may have only needed her to convince him, he'd just have to be careful and make sure nothing would happen to her again even if he had to sacrifice his own life to make sure it didn't. He pulled away from her and saw her smiling.

Rembrandt patted him on the shoulder. "That's more like it Q-ball so what's the plan?" He asked.

Quinn looked up at Rembrandt. This was it, back to the leader again, something he had grown so tired of and just hoped home was around the corner and he could leave it all behind. But he now had both Wade and Rembrandt again so it might be better than the past year. "Well Rem we have three choices." He stated as Wade wiped her tears away and placed her hand on his which he held firmly causing her to smile again. "One we stay here and join Kyra's cause, two we find another world that we are happy with and settle down or three resume the search for home." He replied.

Rembrandt looked at the three of them, he didn't know what they wanted but he knew what he wanted. "Well I can't speak for all of you, but I haven't given up on home, after finding out its still safe and sound and knowing that at least the two of us." He replied looking at Quinn. "Are tracker free I would like to try and find it."

Wade nodded. "I would still like to see my family again, my real family." She looked up at Diana. "You're welcome to come with us." She offered. "I know your world was invaded but you can make a home with us on our world. I also don't want to be the only girl with these two, I had three years of that and don't think I could handle it again." She laughed.

"Hey girl we ain't that bad." Rembrandt defended.

Wade smirked at Rembrandt. "Have you heard yourself snoring?" She asked. "You could wake the dead."

Quinn laughed. "He's gotten worse, Rem is the only person I know who sings in his sleep."

Rembrandt shot him a look. "Well when one has talent one needs to share it with the world." He counted with a massive grin.

Diana laughed watching the teasing. "I think it might be fun, if only to hear that." She replied. "Plus I got no where else to go."

"Welcome onboard." Rembrandt proclaimed shaking her hand. "It's nice to have a full team again. Ay Q-Ball?"

Quinn smiled as Wade moved closer to him. "Yes Rem it is, now we got someone to cook and clean for us again." He teased nudging Wade and smirking.

She frowned at him playfully. "You watch it buster, or I will neglect to wash with softener." She playfully threatened but secretly enjoyed his teasing.

Rembrandt laughed at the two of them. "Just like old times." He muttered to Diana. "At least you will buy Q-Ball better clothes than Maggie ever did." Rembrandt noted at Wade.

Quinn put his arm around Wade. "Yeah, there's only one person I like buying cloths for me." He responded as Maggie had always brought clothes too tight so Quinn several months back started to buy his own again.

Wade blushed causing Diana to laugh. "You sure you two aren't married or something?" She asked noticing the uncomfortable looks of the two.

"I give it 6 months and they will be." Rembrandt replied with a grin causing the two to blush.

Quinn who was as embarrassed as Wade did a hasty retreat. "Hey Diana, let me give you the run down on the timer just in case." He suggested.

Wade got up. "Come on Remmy let's give these two scientists some time to play with their toys." She teased as the two of them headed off.

Quinn just shook his head as he watched Wade and Rembrandt leave. He had her back and that was all that mattered to him. Looking over to Diana and taking the timer he started. "Okay here we have…"

Wade turned around and smiled watching Quinn. Not only was she free now but had the man who was her best friend and who she cared for deeply back in her life again and with no Maggie either and she couldn't be happier.

**THE END**


End file.
